Special meal for New Year's Eve?

[DiscoDiva]

I've seen a few people here mention making a special meal or dessert for New Year's Eve, and I've never heard of that outside of eating Black-eyed peas.

Do you normally cook or eat a special meal to celebrate the new year? What is it?

[jimmysgirl424]

I personally don't cook anything special for New Years Eve, but I've talked to people that do. Some of the ones I have heard include:

Chinese food

Pork

Fish (there was a specific kind that my ex always mentioned, but I can't remember it!)



I will look around for you, Disco, and see if I can find any info about traditional New Years Eve meals.

[dana b]

we usually make something special if we're not going out. it's kind of a hassle to go to a nice restaurant on nye, so we compromise and make something nice ourselves. so far on sat, i'm making osso bucco (haven't figured out the rest yet).

[jimmysgirl424]

Found this:

New Year's Food Traditions


Eating noodles at midnight is customary at Buddhist temples in Japan.

A German/Pennsylvania Dutch tradition is to eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year's day for good luck.

It is a Cuban tradition to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. The 12 grapes signify the last twelve months of the year.

German folklore says that eating herring at the stroke of midnight will bring luck for the next year.

Eating pickled herring as the first bite of the New Year brings good luck to those of Polish descent.

In the southern United States, it is believed eating black eyed peas on New Year's eve will bring luck for the coming year.

Also from the south comes the custom of eating greens such as cabbage, collard greens, mustard greens, kale or spinach to bring money.

One more from the Southerners: eating cornbread will bring wealth.

The Southern custom of eating greens can be found in other cultures as well, although the cabbage can take many forms, such as sauerkraut or even kimchee.

In the Philippines, it is important to have food on the table at midnight in order to insure an abundance of food in the upcoming year.

Boiled Cod is a New Year's Eve must in Denmark.

Olie Bollen a donut-like fritter is popular in Holland for New Year.

Black-eyed peas, fish, apples, and beets are eaten for luck at the Jewish New Year's celebration (not celebrated on Jan 1).


Found that at: http://www.fabulousfoods.com/holidays/newyears/ny.html

[maplekitty]

what are black-eyed peas?

[greenbunny]

My mom does pork and sauerkraut. We're PA dutch.

Black-eyed peas are a legume, I'm not sure if they're actually a pea or a bean. A friend of mine who grew up in Texas made them one New Years and told us the tradition was that you'd ensure a day of good luck in the new year for every one you ate. I got full around mid-August.

[dana b]

oh, i get it...you're talking about eating something traditional every year...here on the west coast, i don't know anyone who eats something "traditional" on nye.

[KarenS]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/96/BlackeyeBean.jpg

It's a bean. We usually make a cold salad out of them, combined with black beans, corn, salsa, and cilantro. Yummy.

Karen

[DiscoDiva]

I've just never heard of, or known, anyone who considered New Year's Eve dinner to be a special meal until lately. I've heard eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, but that's about it.

[IrishMeg]

I don't know of anyone who makes a special dinner either. We have a traditional way we celebrate NYE but it doesn't involve a big meal. We start snacking about 6pm and then eat all the way up until midnight. This year we'll have cheese and crackers, veggie tray, s'mores, etc. Nothing big.

[Sin Nombre]

For the last three years, my husband and I have hosted a small dinner party for friends. We (or I should say, he) always cook a full, traditional Thanksgiving-type meal (turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, potatoes, fancy dessert). It's the one time a year I get to drag out my wedding china & crystal!

No particular reason why we chose this menu, other than people seem to love it!

[boilermaker]

My ILs do the pork and sauerkraut, so DH prefers it. I don't mind it, so I figure what the heck, it's an easy tradition. His family is from around Amish country in OH, so that may be why?

Other than that, my family never did anything traditional on NYE.

[jeanine]

On NYE, my parents always made Oyster Stew (along with other stuff that I can't remember).

On New Years Day, it is ALWAYS crown roast of pork and sauerkraut for good luck. My mom is part German, so I guess that's where it comes from? When I was little I always hated it, but now i look forward to New Years Day dinner.

[apoppy]

My heritage is German and English.

Right after midnight when the new year turns, my family has traditionally had pork roast and sauerkraut. I can't stand sauerkraut, but my mom always made me eat a few strands for luck.

I make a modified version of this meal now: roasted pork loin and some sort of uncooked cabbage salad. We also load the table up with lots of other side dishes on the theory that a bountiful table will bring luck for the new year. We entertain differently than my parents, so we serve this meal in the afternoon instead of the middle of the night.

[snowman]

We never had anything special for NYE but on New Years Day, mom always made homemade chinese food - YUMMY!

[SwiftyOWB]

If we did not go out for NYE my Mom always made a special meal: ie X-mas dinner with all the trimmings. Joe and I are not going out this year so I think I am going to make a nice dinner. I think we may invite a few friends over for brunch on NYD. Who knows it will all come together.

[Camdynlyn]

We (I live in NC) have always eaten pork, black eyed peas, collard greens (for money) and cornbread. We usually go to my grandparents although skipped last year because we had a NYE party at our house 2 hours away. Same this year, though.

[suzfuzsunflower]

New Year's Eve - nuggets from Chick Fil A
NYDay - Chinese food

:D

We live in the South...so not really the traditional New Year's southern foods.

[Katyanne]

My DH's Grandmother always makes something called hoppin john on New Years Eve I think it has some black eyed peas in it but I'm not sure. She's originally from the South.

David and I don't really have any traditions we just eat and eat til we almost burst ;)

Katie

[honeygirl]

The last 2 new years DH and I shared 3-4 lbs of crab legs. Expensive but oh so worth it! :)

[KrissyCat7]

We have a traditional New Years day meal......my mom makes each of us our very favorite foods. It normally turns into quite an array of foods such as pizza, wings, crab legs, beef boat, cheese, summer sausage.....all sorts of stuff that doesnt go together.:D

[Rosebud]

Bumping this up for New Years. If you're staying in and cooking dinner this year, share your menus and recipes!

[dana b]

garlic crab and beef tenderloin -- both recipes found here :)

[Rosebud]

Just saw that Allrecipes.com has a special section devoted to New Year's. It includes NYE appetizer & drink recipes and also a New Year's Day brunch menu.

Allrecipes/ New Year's (http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/New-Years-Celebration/detail.aspx)

[TX Sweetheart]

DH is working NYE so I'll be home alone... I'll probably make pork, black-eyed peas (I adore them!), greens and cornbread for New Year's Day, but I'm not entirely sure what I'll make for NYE, other than I know alcohol will be involved LOL I may do what we usually do when he's not working NYE and eat Chick-Fil-A (I saw somebody else mention this as well).